Vehicle alarm system

ABSTRACT

A vehicle bind spot detector, comprising ultrasound transmitters and receivers deployed on both sides of a vehicle, for continuously, simultaneously, monitoring for dangerous road situations due to vehicles present in dead area open space in angles β1 and β2, on left and right sides of the vehicle, which areas are outside of a driver&#39;s field of view, hence in the vehicle blind spots. The vehicle blind spot detector includes capability of individualizing the ultrasound signals used in the detection of vehicles in the blind spots, thus preventing interference between blind spot detectors installed in adjacent vehicles.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of technical vision forobjects detection, and, more particularly to systems for providing analarm when a vehicle is present in the dead zone of driver's view(FIG. 1) at the left or right side of the vehicle, especially when thedriver tries to move to one side or the other, as when changing lanes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus forthe automatic detection of dangerous objects in the left and right sidesof vehicle and in its back space comprising: ultrasound transmitters (4)activated by generators (6) with defined angle of radiation emittingultrasound waves continuously or pulsed or modulated; ultrasoundreceivers (14) connected to an analog or digital analyzer fordetermination of intensity, speed of change, Doppler's frequency changeand angle of fall of the received signal that depends on road situation;amplifiers (16), signal analyzer (18) includes time and frequencydiscriminators for speed and distance determination, received returnedsignal from amplifiers and standard signal from generator, control andsignal from amplifiers and standard signal from generator, control andcalculation unit with condition inputs like vehicle speed (10) and turnsignal (12), commutation unit, alarm or display unit for communicationwith driver, communication to other vehicle systems that detectsdangerous objects presence into the pre-defined area limited by lines ofdriver's direct view, borders of left and right adjacent lines oftraffic and predetermined distance back and provides alarm orsignalization to vehicle driver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, withreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 contains basic drawing of driver's field of view where α1 is afront view, α2--view through left side mirror, α3--view through rightside mirror, α4--panorama mirror view, β1 and β2 angles defining "deadarea" of drivers view. R and L are areas where detection of anothervehicle is needed. Those areas includes two lines (in the left and rightsides) limited by α1 angle lines forward and same distance back fromvehicle (about 10-15 meters). Dashed line shows dangerous object mayoccur in those areas.

FIG. 2 shows functional division of dangerous places on the left andright sides. Distance A is comparable with vehicle length. Distance B isadditional length that dangerous object may arrive from.

FIG. 3 presents a basic embodiment of the apparatus, according to thepresent invention which includes: radiation sources (4), radiationreceivers (14), amplifiers (16), signal analyzer (18), control andcalculation unit (8) with conditions inputs mm signal (12) and vehiclestate of moving (10), terminals (20) like computer interface, alarmand/or signalization.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 presents the borders of vehicle driver's view, defined by directangle α1 in addition with back view throw the left side mirror α2, backview through right side mirror α3 and back view through panorama mirrorα4. There remains blind spot dead area open space in angle β1 in left β2in right side of drawing vehicle. Non detected vehicle may appear indead area. Danger state occurs when driver tries to move to the left orright path of the road for overcoming preceding low speed vehicle or anyobject on the left or right. An accident may occur. For prevention ofaccident driver must have alarm when another vehicle is moving in thedead area or comes near for overcame his own vehicle.

An object of the present invention is to provide appropriate solutionsfor detection of a vehicle appeared in the dead field of drivers view orin every place in the right or left side and in questionable areas backof them. Proposed problem solution based on ultrasound location of thedangerous area R and L defined on FIGS. 1 and 2. The ultrasound wavesemitted from transmitters 4 to the dangerous area are reflected backfrom the overtake or moving parallel vehicle 2 and receiver 14.Ultrasound signals are emitted by transmitters, for, may beindividualize continuous or pulsed or modulated for each individualvehicle, and thereby preventing interference between ultrasound vehicledetection signals emitted and received by adjacent vehicles. Amplifiedby amplifiers 16 signal goes to signal analyzer 18 may be either ananalog or digital analyzer for place determination of place and speed ofvehicle in this area. Control and calculation unit 8 takes into accounta number of useful signals like its own speed and state of turn signal.The proposed system is preferably activated if two conditions arepresented: vehicle moves (speed signal 10) and driver intends to changelane left and right (ram signal 12), but may also be activatedcontinuously without regard to the turn signal 12 being activated. Whenthe vehicle is stationary it may be desirable to increase the zone ofhazard in order to take into account the greater differential speedbetween the stationary vehicle and the nearby moving vehicles. In theterminals set computer interface is available for communication withmore complete and complicated systems of vehicle electronics. Otherterminals are different systems of alarming and signalization. A nonwire communication channel may be provided between the control andcalculations unit and the alarm or display unit.

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus activates if only twoconditions are present: speed of vehicle is not equal to zero--vehiclemoves: turn signal is turned on indicating that the driver intends tomove left or right.

There is a difference among distances A and B. An object in areas R andL into the region A is always dangerous. Vehicle in region B isdangerous only if distance among the two vehicles decreases. Anapparatus actions defined for those two regions is different.

For regions L and R on distance A alarm or signalization will beactivated only if an overcoming vehicle will be detected in those areas.

For regions L and R on distance B alarm or signalization will beactivated in case when the speed of the detected vehicle is more thanthe detector's carrier speed. The negative or positive difference ofspeed can be defined by use of Doppler Effect.

Transmitters and receivers may be installed on the external left and/orright side of the vehicle, or on the rearview mirror, or on the externaltop part of the vehicle. While the invention has been described withrespect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated thatmany variations, modifications and other applications of the inventionmay be made.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for the automatic detection ofdangerous objects in the left and right sides of vehicle and in its backspace comprising:(a) generators, capable of generating individualizedsignals; (b) ultrasound transmitters activated by generators foremitting a continuously or pulsed or modulated ultrasound signal withdefined angle of radiation; (c) ultrasound receivers for receiving asignal depending on the road situation connected to an analog or digitalanalyzer for determination of intensity, speed of change, Doppler'sfrequency change and angle of fall of said received signal that dependson road situation; (d) amplifiers, for amplifying said received signaldepending on road situation; (e) signal analyzer includes time andfrequency discriminators for speed and distance determination, receivedreturned signal from amplifiers and standard signal from generator; (f)control and calculation unit with condition inputs including vehiclespeed and turn signal; (g) communication terminals, including alarm ordisplay unit for communication with a driver, said alarm or display unitproviding alarm or signalization to said driver in the event of thedangerous objects presence in a predefined area, wherein saidpre-defined area is a first area that is limited by lines of saiddriver's direct view, a second area of the borders of left and rightadjacent lines of traffic and a third area of a predetermined distanceback from the vehicle, said predefined area including dead area openspace defined by angles β1 and β2; (h) individualizing of continuous orpulsed or modulated ultrasound signals for each individual vehicle blindspot detector, thereby preventing interference between ultrasoundvehicle detection signals emitted and received by adjacent vehicles. 2.An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said emitted and receivedsignal includes a sound or ultrasound signal.
 3. An apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein said ultrasound transmitters and receivers areinstalled on the external left and/or right side of the vehicle whichhas rear-view mirrors, adjacent to said rear-view mirrors.
 4. Anapparatus according to claim 1 wherein said ultrasound transmitters andreceivers are installed on the external top part of the vehicle.
 5. Anapparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a non wirecommunication channel between said control and calculations unit andsaid alarm or display unit.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said communications terminals further include a computerinterface for communication with more complete and complicated systemsof vehicle electronics.